Electrical connecter



@ct. 23, 1934. w M, 1,977,677

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed Sept. 27, 1950 "r" L25. h E k122i W v I V0 6 Y ERMWA Arrow/5% Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11,911,677 ELECTRICAL. CONNECTER Walter M. Hill, iiaeam; Ma, assignor to 'Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New

York, N. Y., a corporation 'otNew: York Application Shasta 27,1930, ser al hofjismss s Claimsr 1C1. 113 -324) This invention relates to electrical connecters,

and more particularly to a grounding terminal and clamp for insulatedconductors. I

An object of the invention isto.- rovide=-a'n construction which may be expeditiously clamped and electrically connected to an insulated conductor without removing anyof- 1 the; insulation therefrom.

10 One embodiment of the invention-contem lates the provision of a grounding terminal and' gcl'amp q for insulated "electrical conductors, comprisin g opposed Qfixed and movable contalcti bladesii the latter being carried by a pivoted-arm and movable: to open and closed positions with respect 'tothe; fixed contact blade through the rotationfofgan operating pin v having an eccentric'portion ex electrical connecter of simple and" inexpensive" or contactblades 12 and 13 mounted within the slotfll with their knife edges in opposed spaced" relationship, as shown in Figs. .2 and 3.

v v 7 contact blade 12 and is providediwithg ereby itissecured adjuste l berii'n'derstood ay'be readily adjusted 70 blade 13 by loosening and then turning "-thatzthe Contact tending through a slot in the pivoted arm. The contact blades .are adapted to penetrate or cut through the-insulation of a conductor interposed v therebetween', and i become slightly embedded in the conductor," whereby a good electrical:'c'onnec tion, as well asia satisfactory clamping" of the; conductor; issecured without removing any of the insulation fromthe conductor; I ,The movable contact blade isadapted to belocked in'jop'en'or closed positions by meansoi-a leaf spri'ng arranged;

,.to engage either or tWddiam'etricaIly opposed peripheral notches-in an: enlarged circularhead portion of the operating pin. "The fixed contact blade is adjustable to accommodate conductors of varioussizes.

7 Other features and b 1 will become apparent from the following detailed description, reference being had panying drawing, wherein v r r Fig. 1 is a plan view .ot a groundingte'rmlnal and clam embodying thefeatures. of the inven;

tion; 1 1

or Fi 1;

tion; and I of'Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, in whichli ke reference numerals designatethe same parts the several views, it will be observed that, a me tallic frame or base 10 is formed with' anopen right" angle slot orv bifurcation 11 which is o! rectangular cross section and extends'along the upper side of the frame and downwardly along an adjacent vertical side thereof. A pair'ot oooperating knife edged metallic gripping members advantages of the invention the} 00111,

Fig. 4 isa vertical sectional view online grit singles theremm fby' means of which cured by screws 22 to r .oneend of an a m 4 he" latter being pivoted 'at its opposite em'l; pona pin 25 mounted in the frame. Means'provided for moving the arm {24 about its pivot'25 tobpen. and close the contact blade 13 withjres'pect to the contact blade 12. This means comprises anoperating member or pin 27 rotatablyvr'houhtedin the frame 10 and having an eccentric portion 28 extending through. an elongatedslot 29 formedin the pivoted arm 24. Theconstruction is-5 suchthat through rotation of the operatingpin 27, the contac blade 13 is moved by the eccentric portion 28 of thepin toward or away'from the contact blade 12 according to thedirection of rotation of the f'pi'n. A hand lever 30i's'attached to an enlarged, circular head 31 formed at one end of the opf-I p crating pin 27 and serves as a means for rotating H I H v therp'in to open and close the contact blade l3. Fig. 2 isavertic'al sectionallviewb line 2-"-2 The-circular head 31 is provided with diametr'i- 5 r r p I cally opposed V-shaped peripheral notches or Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to'Fig'. 2 with the movable contact blade shown in its open posif' slots32-32 adapted to be selectively engaged by a correspondingly shaped bead 33 formed at one endof a leaf spring 35 to lock the movable contact blade 13 in its open or closed positions.

C36 Fig. 4) extending perpendicularly therefrom 'vfvhereoy it is clamped between a block 38 and a side of the frame 10 by means of screws 39-39.

clamp may be employed advantageously in conjunction with apparatus for coiling and simultaneously testing insulated conductors, such as two or more parallel wires 40-40 having a common covering 42 of rubber compound or other in- 110 At itsopposite end, the leaf spring 35 has a portion The above described grounding terminal and 05 ing an open slot, an arm sulating material. When employed in this man ner, the frame 10 is attached'in any suitable manner to a coiler or take-up reel (not shown) upon which the conductors are to be coiled. The fixed contact blade 12 is adjusted so thatthe space between it andthe cooperating movable contact blade 13, when the latter is in closed position. is slightly less than the diameter of the wires 40, after which the movable contact blade is opened or moved away from the fixed contact blade by turning the hand lever 30 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3. After the end of the insulated twin wires is inserted between the contact blades, as shown in Fig. 3, the movable contact blade 13 is closed or moved toward the fixed contact blade 12 by turning the hand lever 30 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2. This causes both contact bladesto penetrate or cut through the insulation embedded in .the wires 40, thus insuring a good electrical connection with. the wires without removing any of the insulation therefrom. A satisfactory clamping of the wires for starting the coiling operation is also secured by reason ofthe jaws becoming embedded in the wires. The movable contact blade is automatically locked in its closed positionby the engagement of the bead 33 of leaf spring 35 with one of the V-shaped notches 32 in thehead 31-of the operating pin 2'7.

When desired, the end of the insulated wires may be readily disengaged from the grounding clamp; by turning the hand lever 30 from the position shovm in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig, 3.

It will be understood thattheembodiment of the invention herein illustrated and described merely represents one-"useful form of the inven-- tion which is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What isclairned is:

1. .A clamping device, comprising a frame havi pivoted-in the slot, a by the arm, ;a ---fixed in the slot opposite gripping member carried gripping 'member mounted 42 and become slightlylic electrically connecting and mechanical clamping blade mounted on the member adapted the first gripping member, means for adjusting the fixed gripping member with respect to the pivotally supported gripping member, a pi tatable in the frame-and having an eccentr g tion for cooperating with the pivoted arm to n We the associated gripping member with respect to the fixed gripping member, the rotatable pin ha ing an enlarged head portion provided with a ripheral notch, and a leaf spring for engaging said notch to lock the movable gripping member to ,a .predetermined position with respect to the fixed gripping member.

:2. In a combination electrical connecter and clamp, a metal frame, a metallic electrically connecting and mechanically clamping blade adjustably mounted thereon, a metallic swinging mem ber provided with a slot pivotally mounted on the frame, a second metallic electrically connecting and mechanically clamping. blade. adiustabiy- F mounted on the-swingingmembe'r for coaction- W with thefirstmentioned b'lade,- andoperating means to force the two blades intooperative rela tion, said operating means including rotatable shaft mounted in the frame and having an ec I centric portion extending through and adapted swinging, member, and all said parts being in mutual electrical.communication.

3. Ina combination electricalconnecte:and. clamp for conductors, a metal frame, a metallic electrically connecting and mechanically clam to swing therewith to coact with thefirst mean" .tioned blade, operating means to embed the two blades into. the conductor forming an electrical -and.mechanical clamping I connection with tl' conductor comprising an eccentric shaftcooper ating with -theswinging membeiyand a spr locking .member to. lock the-blades' in operating WALTER HILL! 

